LAHS Peer Leaders participate in team building activities. Courtesy/LAPS
LAHS Peer Leaders participate in team building activities. Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS News:
Los Alamos High School (LAHS) and Los Alamos Middle School (LAMS) are implementing Sources of Strength, an evidence-based, strengths-focused, upstream wellness and suicide prevention program.
Now in its second year at LAHS and first year at LAMS, both schools are engaging Peer Leaders and Trusted Adults to spread messages of Hope, Help, and Strength while building a culture of belonging.
“Sources of Strength brings together students, staff, and the community to build a culture of care,” Superintendent Jennifer Guy shared. “By focusing on connection and belonging before a crisis occurs, we are helping our young people develop the tools they need to thrive.”
Sources of Strength emphasizes eight protective factors for preventing suicide, also known as Strengths, that build resilience in young people. The program empowers students through hands-on activities to recognize their own Strengths as well as those of their peers, increasing protective factors that reduce the risk of suicide and other adverse outcomes. Research shows that focusing on upstream prevention—strengthening protective factors before a crisis occurs—helps youth better navigate the natural ups and downs of life.
Since its founding in 1998, Sources of Strength has been recognized as one of the most effective suicide prevention models in the nation. A recent study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that the program reduced suicide attempts among high school students by 29%—a landmark finding in youth mental health prevention. In recognition of this impact, Sources of Strength CEO Scott LoMurray was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in Health in 2025 for advancing upstream approaches to mental health and suicide prevention.
This fall, LAHS and LAMS Peer Leaders and Adult Mentors are busy planning and implementing their first Sources of Strength campaigns of the school year, introducing the eight Strengths to peers and building awareness throughout the school community. Both sites are creating interactive posters to engage students to foster strengths. At LAMS, students were introduced to the different parts of the Sources of Strength wheel through homeroom slides and related activities, helping them connect the concepts to their own lives.
“Sources of Strength is helping us strengthen our school culture,” LAMS Principal Jill Gonzales shared. “Students are learning to recognize what makes them resilient and how they can support each other in meaningful ways.”
This prevention program is made possible by funding from Los Alamos County and Los Alamos JJAB and support from Los Alamos Public Schools staff. In addition, the program recently received a grant from the Kiwanis Club of Los Alamos’ Boys and Girls Committee to purchase supplies and materials.
For more information about Sources of Strength at Los Alamos High School or Los Alamos Middle School, please contact Kristine Coblentz, k.coblentz@laschools.net or Sylvia Diehl, s.diehl@laschools.net, Los Alamos Public Schools Prevention Program. For general information, visit sourcesofstrength.org.
LAMS Peer Leaders participate in team building games. Courtesy/LAPS
LAMS Peer Leaders learn about the Strengths Wheel. Courtesy/LAPS